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ITOne Day in Dubrovnik
One day is enough to fall for Dubrovnik if you plan it around the heat and the crowds: the walls first thing in the morning, museums and shade at midday, the sea in the afternoon and the view from Mount Srđ at sunset. Here is the day we would plan for a friend, hour by hour. Save the infographic for your phone.
Opening hours, boat times and prices change from season to season, so check them on the spot or on the official websites before you go.
08:00 — The City Walls, before the heat
Start the day on the walls. They run for almost two kilometres around the Old Town, with the roofs on one side and the open sea on the other, and in summer they open early, around 8 o’clock. Allow one and a half to two hours. There is very little shade up there, so take water and a hat. The main entrance is just inside Pile Gate; there are also entrances near Ploče Gate and by the Maritime Museum. Buy your ticket online or at the entrance; the walls ticket has usually also included entry to Fort Lovrijenac, which you will visit later in the day, so keep it.
10:00 — Stradun and the Old Town
Come down from the walls onto Stradun, the wide main street paved with polished limestone. At the Pile end stands Onofrio’s Great Fountain, and next to it the Franciscan Monastery, whose pharmacy, founded in 1317, is among the oldest still working in Europe. Walk east to Luža square: the Sponza Palace, Orlando’s Column, the Church of St Blaise, the city’s patron saint, and the bell tower.
From about mid-morning to early afternoon the Old Town is at its busiest, especially on days when several cruise ships are in port. That is the time to go indoors: the Rector’s Palace, once the seat of the Republic of Ragusa, now the Cultural History Museum, and the Cathedral with its treasury are a cool escape.
12:30 — Lunch away from Stradun
Restaurants right on Stradun tend to cost more for the view. Go up the steep side streets or down to the Old Port, and look for a konoba with a short menu of fresh fish, black risotto or Ston oysters. Book ahead in July and August if you have your heart set on a particular place.
14:00 — A swim: Lokrum or Banje
In the hottest part of the day, head for the sea. Boats to the island of Lokrum leave from the Old Port, roughly every half hour in season, and the crossing takes about 10 to 15 minutes. Lokrum is a protected nature reserve with a botanical garden, an old Benedictine monastery, peacocks, a small salt lake called the Dead Sea and rocky spots for swimming. Nobody may stay on the island overnight, so check the time of the last boat back. Boats do not run in rough weather.
No time for a boat? Banje beach is a few minutes’ walk outside Ploče Gate, with a view of the walls from the water. Or swim off the rocks below the walls on the sea side of the Old Town, where small cliffside bars cling to the stone.
Remember that the Old Town is not a beach: walking its streets in swimwear or without a shirt can be fined, so cover up on the way back.
16:30 — Fort Lovrijenac
Just outside Pile Gate, Fort Lovrijenac stands on its own rock 37 metres above the sea. The climb is short and the view back towards the walls is one of the best in the city. The fort also hosts performances during the Dubrovnik Summer Festival.
18:30 — Sunset on Mount Srđ
End the day above the city. The cable car leaves from just above the Old Town near Ploče and takes a few minutes to climb Mount Srđ; from the top you see the whole walled town, Lokrum and, on a clear evening, the Elafiti islands. Go about an hour before sunset and check the time of the last ride down. On the summit is Fort Imperial, built under Napoleonic rule, with an exhibition about the defence of Dubrovnik in the 1990s. You can also walk up the zig-zag path, but it is steep and exposed, so not in the heat of the day.
20:30 — Dinner and Stradun at night
Come back down for dinner in the Old Town. Once the day visitors have left, the streets fill with locals and guests staying in town, and the lit-up stone of Stradun looks its best. If you can, stay the night: Dubrovnik in the evening and early morning is a different city.
Practical tips
- Crowds. The busiest hours are roughly from 9 in the morning to early afternoon, when cruise passengers and coach tours are in town. The port authority publishes the cruise schedule, so you can pick a quieter day.
- Dubrovnik Pass. The city’s pass covers the City Walls, a number of museums and city buses for one, three or seven days. If you plan to do the walls and two or three museums, compare the price with separate tickets.
- Getting there by car. The streets around the Old Town are a restricted traffic zone in season. Park at the Ilijina glavica garage and walk down to Pile, or leave the car in Gruž or Lapad and take the bus. All the details are in our guide on where to park in Dubrovnik.
- By bus. City buses from Gruž port, Lapad and Babin Kuk stop at Pile Gate, the main stop for the Old Town.
- Best time of year. May, June, September and early October are warm enough to swim and much calmer than July and August.
- Shoes. The limestone of Stradun and the walls is polished smooth by centuries of feet; wear shoes with grip.
Where to stay in Dubrovnik
Inside the walls you are in the middle of everything but without a car; Lapad and Babin Kuk have beaches, parking and a direct bus to Pile; Ploče gives you the view of the Old Town from above. Cavtat and the Pelješac peninsula are quieter bases for a longer stay. Compare the areas in our Dubrovnik guide, and tell the AI search what matters to you.
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Frequently asked questions
Is one day enough for Dubrovnik?
One day is enough for the City Walls, Stradun and the Old Town, a swim and the sunset from Mount Srđ. To see the city in the quiet evening and early morning, and to add Lokrum or a day trip, stay at least one night.
When is the best time to walk the Dubrovnik City Walls?
Right at opening time in the morning, around 8 o’clock in summer, or in the last two hours before closing. There is little shade on the walls, so avoid the middle of the day.
How do I avoid the cruise ship crowds in Dubrovnik?
The Old Town is busiest from about 9 in the morning to early afternoon. Walk the walls early, spend the middle of the day in museums or at the sea, and come back in the evening. The cruise schedule is published in advance, so you can also pick a quieter day.
How do you get to Lokrum from Dubrovnik?
By boat from the Old Port, roughly every half hour in season; the crossing takes about 10 to 15 minutes. Overnight stays on the island are not allowed, and boats do not run in rough weather.
Is the Dubrovnik Pass worth it?
It covers the City Walls, a number of museums and city buses for one, three or seven days. It pays off if you plan the walls plus two or three museums; compare it with separate tickets for your own plan.
Stay the night, not just the day
Dubrovnik is at its best once the day-trippers have gone. Tell our AI what you need — “a quiet apartment in Lapad with parking and a sea view, two adults, mid-September” — and it searches live availability for you. Start a search or read our Dubrovnik guide.